On December 14 this year, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a Resolution on enhancing the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative to adopt this resolution was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, which was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At the session, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke for the first time in Uzbek and proposed the adoption of a special resolution of the UN General Assembly on achieving sustainable development goals through several initiatives and increasing the role of parliaments in ensuring human rights.
Over the past short time, a resolution within the framework of this initiative was developed and adopted in co-authorship with more than 80 countries. The resolution highlights the important role of parliaments in re-committing to unity, solidarity and multilateral cooperation to support an inclusive, sustainable and lasting recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Assembly also calls on states to support and engage parliaments in SDG follow-up and monitoring processes, especially in the preparation of voluntary national reports, and to assist them in securing and strengthening national ownership and accountability.
At the same time, special attention is paid to ensuring gender equality, which should be a central element of efforts to accelerate progress toward the achievement of the SDGs by promoting the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in legislative bodies and parliamentary processes.
The important role and contribution of youth in the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda, as well as the need to ensure the full, equal and effective participation of youth in parliamentary processes is recognized.
At the same time, it should be noted that the initiative envisaged by this resolution to develop the activities of parliaments has been fully implemented in the working activities of the Parliament of Uzbekistan. In particular, the role of parliaments is growing in the course of all reforms being implemented in the country, as well as in uniting the mutual efforts of governments, parliaments and civil society, strengthening the principles of common responsibility and coordinating international partnerships.
In addition, the policy of gender equality has become a priority issue for us. The role of women in public administration is increasing. The number of women deputies in our parliament has doubled. The human rights situation has also changed dramatically. Forced and child labor has been completely abolished. A National Human Rights Strategy has been adopted.
In August 2020, under the auspices of the UN, the Samarkand International Web Forum, dedicated to current issues of protecting the rights of youth took place. The activities of the Youth Parliament have been established under the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.
Generally speaking, as mentioned above, the participation of our parliament has expanded in all areas. For example, earlier the chambers of our parliament considered only reports submitted by the government, but today the activities of parliamentary committees in all areas have been established. In particular, budget departments have been created in the parliament. Now, these departments provide truthful and objective information related to economic reforms.
Parliamentary studies and hearings are held for each important issue on the agenda. To ensure openness and transparency of these processes, the meetings of the chambers of parliament are broadcast live through official TV channels and social networks.
In conclusion, we can say that the adoption of the resolution has become another vivid example that Uzbekistan is true to its views and that every initiative put forward by the state serves not only the development of the country, but also the well-being of the countries and peoples of the world.
Oltina Mamirova,
Deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the
Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan